Food Lab + The Landing Debut at Revamped Power Plant (with Wine Bar!?)

Oct. 21, 2025—The Power Plant in Moss Landing just got a major surge of flavor, by way of both food and drink.

Suddenly a small constellation of stars, led by chef Todd Williamson and sommelier Ryan Cooley, have transformed the retail side of the airy combo space into a food-truck-revved restaurant called The Food Lab and craft beer-wine bar called The Landing.

That’s the short version.

The slightly longer version goes like this: Williamson, after a long career that’s led him to local destinations like Rio Grill, Flaherty’s, Sierra Mar and Nepenthe debuted their presence at The Power Plant last Thursday, along with his wife Martha Heath, a Culinary Institute grad and industry lifer herself.

Hours to start are noon-8pm Thursday-Monday.

The menu includes some go-tos like a incredible soft-shell crab sandwich, a signature burger, rock cod tacos, their own slow-baked take on pan con tomate and a spectacular-sounding house chowder with pasilla chili pepper pesto.

The high-ceiling dining space also deploys a short small bites lineup with items like hummus and pita, goat cheese crostini and an artichoke salada russa starring a heart crowned with red pepper almond mousse, capers, shoestring fries and more, plus constant specials befitting the couple’s resourcefulness and hunger to stoke audiences with fresh items.

“The main thing is that it’s just us, and we get to be creative and have flexibility to add to our menu and do whatever we want,” Heath says. “I always loved being in the food industry, but that often comes with sacrificing some creative control, so it’s nice to have more decision-making.”

Meanwhile Cooley and company aid and abet that with a similarly simple but curated beverage lineup inside, where the space speaks for itself.

“It’s cool to have this vibe, the plants, the clean, open, inviting and kinda jungly place,” he says.

The debut menu centers around handpicked beverages including rotating and area artisan brews ($7-$13) like (at the moment) Fruition honey blonde, Corralitos Seek & Enjoy Hazy IPA, Alvarado Street Mai Tai PA, Fruition strawberry sours and a few others.

Wines by the glass stretch more statewide, with a bottle program in the pipeline, and labels like Carracioli, Ryme, La Marea, Russel Joyce and Assiduous that express deeper cut discoveries befitting a vetted and adventurous somm.

“Outside of Modelo, with the beer, I didn’t see a reason to source beyond Monterey County and Santa Cruz,” Cooley says. “With wine I wanted to branch out, have a little more flexibility on styles—and international and funky choices—but still showcase local area and California for visitors passing through.”

The spot, despite its newborn status, already had its own modest but noteworthy*** crowd hanging out midafternoon on a Sunday

***Emphasis on noteworthy because it remains handy to notice when industry professionals target a spot (and set about spreading the word).

That’s where the longerrrr version comes into play, at least in terms of time in the local food industry.

Local legend Tony Tollner, creator of Tarpy’s, Montrio and Rio Grill—where he first met Williamson in the 1980s—recommended the place after attending day uno (also the artichoke salad).

Walter Georis, who has created a wonderland of hospitality outposts, most famously Casanova in Carmel, was there enjoying snacks with a group.

And Sunshine and Andrew Jackson, who have turned me onto Found Treasures like Kong’s Burger and Café and Carlito’s Crispn Chicken, are still more early adopters.

So epicurean hounds with real pedigree are already on the scene.

As Moss Landing continues to navigate vacancies, some harbor challenges and a dearth of options, that’s big.

And it will be huge if this Lab’s formula helps turn turn the tide.

More at The Landing’s Instagram feed and TikTok page.